The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-24
CTVILRIGHTS FOR NEGROES
UNDER TIE THIRD SECTION OF
rHE INTERSTATE ACT.
The More Il Is Examined the More
Plain It's Killing EkactiOns
Are Made.
To III. Editor Of the Appeal,

future operations OF tne interstate
commerce. pli enacteu ~ tpe iste
Congress, lnterests oirectiy anecting
the material concerns OF eVery man,
woman and child IN the united STATES
is my apology Tor atklng place in
your columns Tor this communication,
suggested 6y the recent letter OF
Chairman Cooley ADDRESSED 10 u A.
Hanley, traffic manager, etc.
Let me premise Dy expressing my
acqulescence IN the fortunate TACT tnat
60 wise, iair snd Just man SO nm
sell sbcu'd nave been selected 70
preside over commission possess
ing 80 extraordinary ana transcendent
powers: nm,
Mr.. Cooley. says tine cases that the
law contempia'es, IN wnicn tne Oom-
mission Is authorized TO make orders
for the suspension, are exceptional;
the act does not denne them
does net state the grounds tina. shall
warrant relief, but plainly that those
grounds in every Gaze shall be special.
ly peculiar; that where only, general
reasons operate. the general law shall
be left TO its ordinary course, however
serious may be the consequences In
particular cases ana 70 particular
roads ana interests; NOW II THESE
cases are 80 Few as 70 pc exceptional,
hnd 30 unuenneo and qn'mporIant a:
70 % IelI nameless 70 me olscfetlon OF
tne Oo1nn ission, can ~ not DC eahily
imaglneu now giaveIy uellca.e become
tne uutles VI tne oomuiission IN
consIuipg an1 ueciulnR tne Thousand
ana one comPlicatlons .nat must lnev'
laoIy grow OUT OF great question IN
voiVIng 1lllions u ni1hey anu Hlyrlaus
OF muieliarlous col nsctlng lnteres!e
anu row SERIOUS; .s ss ane Sig tnese IN
ne siI , ST0I Iinl vuo IasT.ou "a pay
~ sSan 90 aha ana 9O wisa s so ~ T msn
"a those five who comnose atba On
m,ss'on p Yum
Mr. Coo,av savs. aTt IA a,so nodo
n,ain nv The sc, ibat onv ordsr CO.. q
snsnension was intandad 70 he hosaS
mon nm investioation which shonId
satisiv the Oommjsaion % atc e,c
Nov tho Commisaion hava alraadH
w;,eiv I think snsnendsd Tho onara
lions ~ The act until INV az tar p as Il
annlies IN a vsrv large asction n ths
country: and since the oysrwhelmin0
testimony received by them In Nam.
phis and generally elsewhere dnrino
their recent sittinSe in the sontb as
TO the Injurious operations OF Inc ACT
upon the general interests of the mao.
pie, may we not hone that If thew
shall discover any want of mower 10
permanently suspend thew will AT
least lend the weight of their infIn.
ence TO an advocacy OF the early re.
peal OF at least the obnoxious fourth
section of the act?
Chairman Cooley thinks that "if tho
Lac In its general operation wers m
NOVA oana,s;,v and snnallv n,,sohiou
pns in ali diractions tha nom o,sa;ou
instead ~ havino a orastar rnm".J
that Tsason Womb nn tha ., bo o" banJ
have No nowsr NJ susnans;"n mh".au'
az wb;cb Isads % * ;nor, wnI s
than and mon hat so,t ~ saas Mvm
was fha nrs.ant sns 'sn DSe ~ d aosSs
tha Coro noissinn 80 ora $4,000 ~
ihst svch a,,snens;on a. NV wo o ~ al..i
Cd nv them 10 nave hasn ws.h N ont wor
s 800! ~. IL a. $50 S'H W'nops "N-
WI unNSi 49,, ~ ~.
ne says .no suspohsion sutnorIzeu
py Ins ~. was W pe oiuered slIer an
invsHsiesuuon. lis i ~ Piainiy 3eteIm-
lneu w .ne aos rvseH MT neagan
on tne contrary, jug Paion sunni OF
TINS ,ohs anu snoIs uaui c'ause, uiu-
uncsiy uenies, ~ n iet'er 70 mr. MOT
i ilt tpeclngaly upon tnls supleo.,
WIN gieAt uoleIenco 20 tne Opinions
oi tne comnlsslon tna' cueIe are DO
ciicumstances OF cases Whlcn VIII Jus
NY u I ~ snsfehe.ns sec.lom =, VINO
bnSll oeGiue wnen uoesole ulsagree
NOW VIII NOT unueiIake 70 ioilow
Onsirman oooigy tniough ms long
anu iuli'nous ie'.eI' nave only
taken TWO OF tnIes Oh MS sentences as
texts upon Whlcn 70 psse rev prac-
ticaa suegesuons oi my own: my op'
positloh 10 MOI 30 much 70 the Wno!e
act as specially ana particularly 70
sectlon =, whion cannot pfing myself
70 peheve can, uhoer any probable
Circum aS EYER ne maze 10 oper-
Ate IN the general interest," Oh tue whoie
people.
INV oan ~ Ssoi pcoomo possipIe lor
isliWays running through sparsely set
tleo seouons OF tne country, nundreds,
sometimes tnousauus Oh miles, with
compaIahveiy limited local patronage,
70 Do goyerneu precisely ,py the same
rates ana rules which might be sppli-
cable 70 q ralIroai running between,
ior instance, new YORK and Philadel-
phia Inc pare question, 1t seems to
me, furnishes its own ready and elo'
qnent answer. But there is yet an
otner dlncuity' NOBODY seems able
10 interpret the exact meaning OF the
act, even though they may feel willing
10 accept its provisions. HOW does II
Work IN practice ask the railroad
70 give me a special rate
from New York to Memphis
on lOOO cases OF merchandise.
They reply that the law now forbids
their making any other than one
rate equally and alike applicable to
all, and therefore, that the rate being
by law an open and published rate,
probably 80 or 100 per cent higher
than before this act became law, the
steamboat taking advantage Of the
law, raises It's rates just high enough